Living In The Rain

0:00:00.400 --> 0:00:03.160 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:00:03.200 --> 0:00:06.360 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 0:00:06.440 --> 0:00:09.040 enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 0:00:09.080 --> 0:00:11.760 share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 0:00:11.800 --> 0:00:14.920 for God's very best in your life. So God bless you. 0:00:15.600 --> 0:00:17.880 It is always a joy to be here with you. 0:00:18.040 --> 0:00:20.040 We love each and every one of you, and if 0:00:20.079 --> 0:00:22.040 you're ever in our area, I hope you'll come out 0:00:22.120 --> 0:00:24.480 be a part of one of our services. We'd love 0:00:24.560 --> 0:00:27.200 to have you just be here and hopefully meet you 0:00:27.240 --> 0:00:29.040 one on one. But thanks for tuning in, and again, 0:00:29.120 --> 0:00:31.240 thank you all for coming out. I'd like to start 0:00:31.240 --> 0:00:33.720 each week with something funny, and y'all know these are 0:00:33.760 --> 0:00:37.440 just jokes. They are not doctrinally correct, especially this one 0:00:37.640 --> 0:00:40.239 that I heard about this middle aged woman. She had 0:00:40.240 --> 0:00:43.200 a heart attack and on the operating table she asked 0:00:43.200 --> 0:00:45.760 God if that was it. God said, no, you have 0:00:45.880 --> 0:00:49.879 forty more years. Upon recovery, she decided to stay in 0:00:49.880 --> 0:00:53.600 the hospital and have a major face lift, tummy tuck, 0:00:54.040 --> 0:00:58.160 life o suction, and extreme makeover. Two months later, as 0:00:58.160 --> 0:01:00.320 she is leaving the hospital, she got hit by a 0:01:00.400 --> 0:01:03.240 car and killed. She got to heaven, said God, I 0:01:03.280 --> 0:01:06.080 thought you said I had forty more years. God shook 0:01:06.080 --> 0:01:08.480 his head and said, I'm sorry I didn't recognize you. 0:01:10.920 --> 0:01:14.600 All right, say it like you mean it. This is 0:01:14.680 --> 0:01:17.880 my Bible. I am what it says I am. I 0:01:17.959 --> 0:01:20.440 have what it says I have. I can do what 0:01:20.520 --> 0:01:23.360 it says I can do. Today I will be taught 0:01:23.440 --> 0:01:27.840 the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, 0:01:28.280 --> 0:01:31.399 my heart is receptive. I will never be the same. 0:01:31.840 --> 0:01:35.800 In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk 0:01:35.840 --> 0:01:40.080 to you today about living in the rain. In the scripture, 0:01:40.520 --> 0:01:45.760 rain is symbolic of blessings, favor, and increase. One place 0:01:45.840 --> 0:01:49.400 talks about how we should be like a well watered garden, 0:01:50.000 --> 0:01:53.160 and that's the way God designed us to flourish, to 0:01:53.240 --> 0:01:56.720 be full of joy, to always be in blossom. But 0:01:56.840 --> 0:02:00.640 too many people are in a dry spell. Say that 0:02:00.680 --> 0:02:04.280 they're flourishing. It's just the opposite. They feel like they're 0:02:04.320 --> 0:02:07.320 in a famine. They hadn't had a good break in years. 0:02:07.840 --> 0:02:11.080 They're stagnant in their marriage, stagnant in their career, not 0:02:11.200 --> 0:02:14.800 seeing dreams come to pass, And it's easy to just 0:02:14.880 --> 0:02:17.560 settle there and think this is as good as it gets. 0:02:18.000 --> 0:02:20.880 I don't have enough, but I'll learn to make ends meet. 0:02:21.360 --> 0:02:23.960 I don't like this job, but I'll just endure it. 0:02:24.400 --> 0:02:27.320 I'll probably never get well, probably never get out of debt. No, 0:02:27.480 --> 0:02:31.720 that's not flourishing, that's not always being in blossom. The 0:02:31.720 --> 0:02:34.760 good news is there's a way to put an end 0:02:34.760 --> 0:02:37.360 to that famine. There's a way to come out of 0:02:37.400 --> 0:02:40.520 that dry spell. You just have to get under the 0:02:40.639 --> 0:02:44.360 right cloud. You just need God to rain down some 0:02:44.480 --> 0:02:47.280 of his favor, some of his increase into your life. 0:02:47.720 --> 0:02:50.440 And it's interesting, even in the natural, how a cloud 0:02:50.600 --> 0:02:54.160 is formed. The sun shines down on water and it 0:02:54.200 --> 0:02:58.600 produces an invisible vapor. These vapors rise up into the 0:02:58.639 --> 0:03:03.639 Earth's atmosphere and eventually become clouds. When enough vapors go up, 0:03:04.080 --> 0:03:06.600 that water is too heavy for the cloud to hold 0:03:06.880 --> 0:03:09.720 and it begins to drift out. That's when it missed 0:03:10.000 --> 0:03:13.919 or sprinkles. And if that cloud gets so full of condensation, 0:03:14.520 --> 0:03:17.520 it'll open up and begin to pour down rain. Now, 0:03:17.560 --> 0:03:21.160 I believe that we can create rain in our own life. 0:03:21.840 --> 0:03:24.600 We can put an end to a dry spell and 0:03:24.680 --> 0:03:29.120 even create blessings, favor and good breaks The way we 0:03:29.200 --> 0:03:32.960 do this is through our praise. When we go around 0:03:33.200 --> 0:03:37.800 thanking God for his goodness, meditating on what he's done, 0:03:37.960 --> 0:03:42.160 focused on how bright the future is. Our praise is 0:03:42.200 --> 0:03:45.400 that invisible vapor that goes up to the heavens and 0:03:45.440 --> 0:03:48.640 forms a cloud. And when that cloud gets so full 0:03:48.640 --> 0:03:52.320 of praise, so full of thanksgiving, so full of us 0:03:52.360 --> 0:03:56.400 bragging on the goodness of God, eventually it can't hold 0:03:56.440 --> 0:03:59.960 it any longer, and it will rain down back on us. 0:04:00.080 --> 0:04:06.720 Us favor, blessings, supernatural opportunities, divine connections. You've all heard 0:04:06.800 --> 0:04:10.600 the saying, when the praises go up, the blessings come down. 0:04:11.480 --> 0:04:14.800 And sometimes in life it may seem like it's never 0:04:14.840 --> 0:04:18.159 gonna rain. You don't see any sign of things getting better, 0:04:18.279 --> 0:04:21.840 nothing's changing. You could say there's not a cloud in 0:04:21.920 --> 0:04:25.839 your sky. That's the way the prophet Elijah felt he 0:04:25.920 --> 0:04:28.320 had been in a great draft for three and a 0:04:28.360 --> 0:04:31.880 half years. It hadn't rained. The people were struggling, just 0:04:31.920 --> 0:04:36.400 trying to survive. But Elijah didn't get negative. He didn't 0:04:36.400 --> 0:04:40.000 start complaining, God, when's it ever going to rain? I 0:04:40.040 --> 0:04:42.800 thought you said I'd always be in blossom. I thought 0:04:42.880 --> 0:04:47.080 you said I had your favor. No, Elijah understood this principle. 0:04:47.400 --> 0:04:50.359 He went to the top of Mount Cardinal, and he 0:04:50.440 --> 0:04:53.640 began to thank God for all he had done, and 0:04:53.720 --> 0:04:56.680 thank God that he was still in control, and thank 0:04:56.760 --> 0:04:59.800 God that that rain was on its way. He had 0:04:59.839 --> 0:05:01.880 his servant go out to check to see if there 0:05:01.920 --> 0:05:05.679 were any clouds in the sky. Six times, that servant 0:05:05.720 --> 0:05:08.240 came back and said, sorry, Elijah, it's not gonna rain. 0:05:08.480 --> 0:05:11.839 Not a cloud in the sky. Elijah didn't get discouraged, 0:05:12.040 --> 0:05:14.760 he didn't give up. He just kept giving God praise, 0:05:15.120 --> 0:05:17.680 kept thinking him that that rain was on its way. 0:05:18.480 --> 0:05:21.960 On the seventh time, the servant came back and said, 0:05:22.000 --> 0:05:26.280 guess what, Elijah, This time I saw a cloud starting 0:05:26.279 --> 0:05:30.120 to form. It wasn't long before those heavens opened up. 0:05:30.960 --> 0:05:34.600 You may be in a dry spell, but just like Elijah, 0:05:34.880 --> 0:05:38.719 as you continue to give God praise, that cloud is 0:05:38.800 --> 0:05:43.080 beginning to form. When it's difficult, those thoughts come saying 0:05:43.240 --> 0:05:45.880 it's never going to change, you're never gonna get out 0:05:45.920 --> 0:05:49.400 of that obstacle, you're never gonna accomplish your dreams. But 0:05:49.520 --> 0:05:53.120 instead of dwelling on that, instead of getting discouraged, you 0:05:53.200 --> 0:05:56.360 switch over into praise Father. I want to thank you 0:05:56.560 --> 0:05:59.560 that you're changing things in my favor. You said i'd 0:05:59.600 --> 0:06:01.919 prosper or even in the desert, and God, I know 0:06:02.080 --> 0:06:04.159 my best days are still out in front of me. 0:06:04.640 --> 0:06:09.080 What's happening. The cloud is beginning to form. Every morning 0:06:09.120 --> 0:06:11.840 you get up and say thank you Lord for another 0:06:11.920 --> 0:06:15.360 beautiful day, your cloud is getting a little bit heavier. 0:06:16.080 --> 0:06:20.120 Driving to work. Instead of complaining about the traffic, complaining 0:06:20.160 --> 0:06:23.279 about the price of gas, dreading going to the office, 0:06:23.600 --> 0:06:26.240 you're saying, Father, thank you that I have a job. 0:06:26.800 --> 0:06:30.440 Thank you for the gifts and talents that you've given me. Lord, 0:06:30.520 --> 0:06:34.279 thank you that my legs can walk, my arms can move, 0:06:34.480 --> 0:06:37.880 my eyes can see. Think you that my children are healthy. 0:06:37.920 --> 0:06:40.520 Thank you for the opportunity in front of me. Lord, 0:06:40.560 --> 0:06:43.320 I just want to thank you that I'm alive. When 0:06:43.360 --> 0:06:46.080 you do that, you might as well get your umbrella out. 0:06:46.440 --> 0:06:49.799 It's just a matter of time before that cloud opens 0:06:49.880 --> 0:06:53.560 up and unloads God's blessings and favor right back on you. 0:06:54.920 --> 0:06:57.479 Just like in the natural, a cloud can only hold 0:06:57.560 --> 0:07:01.880 so much condensation, so many vapors before it releases. In 0:07:01.960 --> 0:07:05.240 the same way, when you keep sending up praise, you 0:07:05.360 --> 0:07:08.440 keep singing God, is good all the time. When you 0:07:08.600 --> 0:07:12.720 keep giving, serving, loving, that cloud can only hold so 0:07:12.880 --> 0:07:16.520 much before the blessings come bursting back down. But here's 0:07:16.520 --> 0:07:20.280 the key. If you're not sending anything up, nothing's gonna 0:07:20.280 --> 0:07:23.120 come back down. Some of you are waiting for your 0:07:23.160 --> 0:07:25.880 ship to come in. Problem is you haven't sent a 0:07:25.920 --> 0:07:28.960 ship out for the favor to come down. You got 0:07:28.960 --> 0:07:32.800 to send up praise, send up thanks, go around meditating 0:07:32.880 --> 0:07:36.280 on God's goodness. When you do that, you won't be 0:07:36.280 --> 0:07:39.600 able to get away from God's blessings. When you stay 0:07:39.640 --> 0:07:43.800 full of praise, that cloud follows you everywhere you go. 0:07:44.240 --> 0:07:47.560 Driving in your car, you've got a cloud following you around. 0:07:48.040 --> 0:07:50.920 Not a cloud of defeat and despair. It's a cloud 0:07:51.040 --> 0:07:56.160 of God's blessing raining down favor, keeping you protected, giving 0:07:56.200 --> 0:07:59.600 you good breaks, making sure that you are always in 0:07:59.640 --> 0:08:04.120 bloss And this doesn't mean that we'll never have a difficulty. 0:08:04.360 --> 0:08:07.160 If we do this, we'll never have a problem. Of course, 0:08:07.240 --> 0:08:10.720 not life is going to happen. But the secret is 0:08:10.760 --> 0:08:14.360 not to complain, not to talk about the problem. Don't 0:08:14.400 --> 0:08:17.600 go call three friends and tell them how bad somebody 0:08:17.640 --> 0:08:21.000 treated you and how unfair it is. No when times 0:08:21.000 --> 0:08:24.480 get tough. The secret is to kick your praise into 0:08:24.520 --> 0:08:28.120 a higher gear. Some battles, the only way you'll get 0:08:28.120 --> 0:08:31.080 out is to praise your way out. It's not to 0:08:31.120 --> 0:08:33.760 fight with other people, it's not to try to get even. 0:08:34.160 --> 0:08:36.280 Just stay full of praise and God will fight your 0:08:36.320 --> 0:08:39.400 battles for you. When you're in one of those deserts 0:08:39.720 --> 0:08:42.520 and it's slow and you don't see your dreams coming 0:08:42.559 --> 0:08:46.440 to pass, don't make the mistake of sitting around feeling 0:08:46.520 --> 0:08:49.640 sorry for yourself, thinking why don't I get any good breaks? 0:08:49.960 --> 0:08:52.160 Why don't I ever get promoted? How come I don't 0:08:52.240 --> 0:08:55.319 have this favor that they're talking about. No, the only 0:08:55.360 --> 0:08:59.000 way out is to change your attitude. Quit looking at 0:08:59.000 --> 0:09:02.200 what's wrong, quit talking about what didn't work out, and 0:09:02.280 --> 0:09:05.960 start praising your way out. It's not up to somebody else, 0:09:06.080 --> 0:09:09.079 it's up to you. You got to shake off the discouragement, 0:09:09.600 --> 0:09:13.120 shake off what didn't work out, and start thinking God 0:09:13.480 --> 0:09:17.600 like you have already overcome. Start thinking Him like he's 0:09:17.679 --> 0:09:21.920 already turned the situation around. That's what faith is all about. 0:09:22.640 --> 0:09:25.320 In other words, you may be in debt up to 0:09:25.400 --> 0:09:28.920 your ears, all kinds of things coming against you. Well, 0:09:28.960 --> 0:09:32.240 you just need to form some new clouds. Father, thank 0:09:32.280 --> 0:09:35.920 you that I am blessed, that whatever I touch prospers, 0:09:36.200 --> 0:09:39.040 that I will lend and not borrow. I may be 0:09:39.200 --> 0:09:42.480 in the desert right now, it may be difficult, but 0:09:42.559 --> 0:09:44.920 I know the harder it gets, the closer I am 0:09:45.040 --> 0:09:47.560 to my victory. So I'm not going to back down, 0:09:47.720 --> 0:09:51.480 give up, get discouraged. I'm pressing forward knowing that I 0:09:51.520 --> 0:09:56.360 am a victor and not a victim. Watch out, that 0:09:56.480 --> 0:10:00.680 cloud is beginning to form. And some of you got 0:10:00.880 --> 0:10:03.160 a good break in a long long time, and it's 0:10:03.200 --> 0:10:07.160 easy to get negative and lose our enthusiasm. But I 0:10:07.200 --> 0:10:10.600 love what the Psalmist said. I will keep on hoping 0:10:10.760 --> 0:10:13.920 for you to help me. I will praise you more 0:10:14.120 --> 0:10:18.520 and more. Notice he's saying the longer it takes, the 0:10:18.559 --> 0:10:21.640 more we're supposed to give God praise. And this usually 0:10:21.679 --> 0:10:25.160 just the opposite. Normally, when something's taken a long time, 0:10:25.400 --> 0:10:28.280 we get less and less excited, and instead of giving 0:10:28.280 --> 0:10:32.280 more praise, we start complaining. Man, I'm never gonna get well. 0:10:32.320 --> 0:10:35.920 I've had this for three years. I'm never gonna get ahead. Joe, 0:10:35.920 --> 0:10:39.920 nobody in my family is successful. Don't fall into that trap. 0:10:40.440 --> 0:10:43.200 Dig your heels in and say this may be taken 0:10:43.280 --> 0:10:46.840 a long time, it may be difficult, but instead of 0:10:46.840 --> 0:10:51.040 getting discouraged, I'm gonna kick my praise into a higher gear. Father, 0:10:51.120 --> 0:10:53.319 I want to thank you that you're in complete control. 0:10:53.400 --> 0:10:56.560 You're a faithful God, and I know you will bring 0:10:56.640 --> 0:10:59.480 every promise you put in me to pass. I believe God, 0:10:59.520 --> 0:11:02.640 even right now, you're arranging things in my favor, the 0:11:02.720 --> 0:11:06.320 right people, the right breaks, the right opportunities. What's happening. 0:11:06.600 --> 0:11:09.679 Your cloud is filling up, and it won't be long 0:11:09.920 --> 0:11:12.920 till it rains down favor blessings right back onto you. 0:11:13.920 --> 0:11:18.000 One thing I've learned is God will never disappoint a praiser. 0:11:18.800 --> 0:11:22.800 Just ask Paul and Silas. At midnight, as they saying 0:11:22.960 --> 0:11:26.080 praise is God showed up and opened the prison doors. 0:11:26.880 --> 0:11:30.920 Just ask Daniel as he gave God thanks. Those hungry 0:11:30.960 --> 0:11:34.280 lions weren't able to touch in. Just ask shad Rak 0:11:34.400 --> 0:11:37.679 Nijak and a Bendigo. They went into the fiery furnace 0:11:37.920 --> 0:11:41.040 full of praise, and they came out without even having 0:11:41.040 --> 0:11:44.000 the smell of smoke. You may have been through more 0:11:44.120 --> 0:11:47.679 than your share of disappointments. You may have had some setbacks, 0:11:47.960 --> 0:11:50.320 but you need to have the attitude. I may have 0:11:50.400 --> 0:11:52.880 lost a lot in life, but one thing I'm not 0:11:52.960 --> 0:11:55.920 gonna lose is my praise. I'm gonna give God thanks 0:11:56.000 --> 0:11:59.800 at all times. Well, let me ask you, what are 0:11:59.840 --> 0:12:03.760 you you're sending up today complaints nothing good ever happens, 0:12:03.760 --> 0:12:07.280 it's not fair. Or are you sending up praise, bragging 0:12:07.320 --> 0:12:11.440 on God's goodness, expecting his favor. Here's the key. You 0:12:11.520 --> 0:12:15.160 need to keep your cloud full. Some of you get 0:12:15.160 --> 0:12:18.000 a little light missed every once in a while, and 0:12:18.040 --> 0:12:20.640 that's not bad, that's better than nothing. Others you get 0:12:20.640 --> 0:12:23.200 a sprinkle here and there, and that's okay. But I 0:12:23.240 --> 0:12:26.079 want us to be so full of praise that even 0:12:26.160 --> 0:12:29.480 if we stump our toe, instead of complaining, we'll say 0:12:29.559 --> 0:12:34.080 thank you Jesus. Somebody cuts us off in traffic, instead 0:12:34.120 --> 0:12:36.880 of shaking our fist getting upset, Bless him, Lord, give 0:12:36.960 --> 0:12:40.520 him a good day while you're at it. Help him 0:12:40.520 --> 0:12:44.480 to learn how to drive. We don't get that promotion 0:12:44.600 --> 0:12:46.840 we were hoping for. No big deal. I know God 0:12:46.960 --> 0:12:50.200 must have something better in store. You stay in praise 0:12:50.360 --> 0:12:52.920 like that, you won't be able to outrun the good 0:12:52.960 --> 0:12:56.160 things of God every time. You turn around, you'll feel 0:12:56.160 --> 0:12:59.160 like it's raining. Driving to work, All of a sudden, 0:12:59.200 --> 0:13:02.640 you get a good eyeddea. That's God reining down creativity, 0:13:03.080 --> 0:13:06.680 raining down favor. At the mall, you find something you've 0:13:06.679 --> 0:13:08.880 really been hoping to buy, and what do you know, 0:13:08.960 --> 0:13:12.320 it's on sale. That's not a coincidence. What happened? You 0:13:12.480 --> 0:13:15.880 just got rained on even small things. In a crowded 0:13:15.920 --> 0:13:18.120 parking lot, a car backs up and you get a 0:13:18.120 --> 0:13:20.679 front row spot. Just shake your head. I should have 0:13:20.760 --> 0:13:23.960 known it. It's raining again. I better keep my umbrella 0:13:24.000 --> 0:13:26.560 with me today. There's no telling what God's gonna do. 0:13:27.600 --> 0:13:31.679 Why is that the cloud is following you around? When 0:13:31.720 --> 0:13:34.320 we get in a habit of bragging on God's goodness, 0:13:34.480 --> 0:13:37.640 that's what allows him to do the extraordinary in our lives. 0:13:38.320 --> 0:13:41.320 I think about Nehemiah. God put a dream in his 0:13:41.400 --> 0:13:45.120 heart to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. This dream was 0:13:45.160 --> 0:13:47.600 so much bigger than he could accomplish on his own. 0:13:48.000 --> 0:13:51.040 He was a thousand miles away. He didn't have the 0:13:51.080 --> 0:13:55.560 manpower nor the resources. All kinds of opposition was coming 0:13:55.600 --> 0:13:58.360 against him, people telling him that he couldn't do it. 0:13:58.840 --> 0:14:01.839 One group was threatening him, saying even if he tried, 0:14:01.880 --> 0:14:05.440 they were going to attack. But I love Neamiah's attitude. 0:14:05.840 --> 0:14:09.480 None of this bothered him. When his friends questioned him 0:14:09.920 --> 0:14:12.680 and said, Neamiah, how are you going to be able 0:14:12.760 --> 0:14:16.920 to do this? He answered back, the gracious hand of 0:14:17.000 --> 0:14:18.199 God is upon me. 0:14:18.960 --> 0:14:19.080 Now. 0:14:19.320 --> 0:14:21.880 Like that, he wasn't talking about his problems. He was 0:14:21.920 --> 0:14:24.600 talking about his God. He wasn't looking at what he 0:14:24.640 --> 0:14:27.400 couldn't do, He was focused on what God could do. 0:14:28.240 --> 0:14:30.960 It should have taken him over a year to finish 0:14:31.000 --> 0:14:34.920 that wall, but Neamiah completed it in just forty two days. 0:14:35.480 --> 0:14:38.560 Why was that? He just kept bragging on God's goodness? 0:14:38.840 --> 0:14:43.560 His cloud filled up and rained down protection, wisdom, creativity. 0:14:44.400 --> 0:14:47.720 Like Neamiah, you may think, how could I ever accomplish 0:14:47.720 --> 0:14:50.200 my dreams so much bigger than I could do on 0:14:50.240 --> 0:14:52.600 my own? Or how could I get well? How could 0:14:52.600 --> 0:14:54.360 I get out of debt? Let me tell you how. 0:14:54.800 --> 0:14:58.320 The gracious hand of God is upon you. You have 0:14:58.480 --> 0:15:03.000 his favor, have his wisdom, you have his protection. You 0:15:03.080 --> 0:15:06.720 are talented, you are creative. All the forces of Heaven 0:15:07.040 --> 0:15:10.800 are backing you up. Dare to believe that you can 0:15:10.840 --> 0:15:15.280 become everything God's created you to be. Sometimes you've seen 0:15:15.320 --> 0:15:18.840 little children bragging on their dads, saying things like, my 0:15:19.000 --> 0:15:22.080 dad stronger than your dad. My dad can run faster 0:15:22.200 --> 0:15:25.440 than your dad. A couple of years ago, my little nephew, 0:15:25.560 --> 0:15:28.480 Christopher was over at our house. He was about five 0:15:28.560 --> 0:15:31.320 years old at that time. I was in my garage 0:15:31.680 --> 0:15:35.040 lifting weights, and Christopher is as tough as can be. 0:15:35.160 --> 0:15:37.400 He is as solid as a rock, and I was 0:15:37.480 --> 0:15:40.480 just playing, having some fun with him, and I pointed 0:15:40.480 --> 0:15:43.880 at my muscle. I said, Christopher, do you realize that 0:15:44.000 --> 0:15:50.120 I can whoop your dad? He looked so stern at me, 0:15:50.400 --> 0:15:53.680 folded his arms. He said, Uncle, Jojo, my dad could 0:15:53.720 --> 0:15:59.360 squash you. He said it so dramatic. I thought he's 0:15:59.360 --> 0:16:01.120 gonna come over it right then and there and whoop 0:16:01.200 --> 0:16:04.680 up on me. That's the way we need to be 0:16:04.880 --> 0:16:09.000 concerning our heavenly father. That obstacle may look difficult, but 0:16:09.040 --> 0:16:11.960 you need to announce to it. My father can whoop 0:16:12.040 --> 0:16:16.200 your father. Tell that problem. My dad can squash your dad. 0:16:17.600 --> 0:16:20.800 What are we doing bragging on the goodness of God? 0:16:21.160 --> 0:16:24.600 Sending up the right vapors? Says they're in Psalm eighty one, 0:16:24.560 --> 0:16:28.480 to open your mouth wide and I will feel it. 0:16:29.320 --> 0:16:32.680 One reason people never see God's best is because they 0:16:32.720 --> 0:16:36.160 barely have their mouth open. This is one time it's 0:16:36.200 --> 0:16:39.520 good to have a big mouth all through the day, 0:16:39.640 --> 0:16:43.280 go around talking about what God's done, bragging on what 0:16:43.360 --> 0:16:46.760 He's going to do. Speak in favor and victory over 0:16:46.800 --> 0:16:50.160 your life, over your future. Every morning. I've learned to 0:16:50.240 --> 0:16:53.400 open my mouth wide. I don't want to be greedy. 0:16:53.600 --> 0:16:56.960 I just want everything that belongs to me. I've learned 0:16:56.960 --> 0:16:59.360 to start the day off. I said, Father, thank you 0:16:59.400 --> 0:17:01.360 that my best days are still out in front of me. 0:17:01.880 --> 0:17:04.800 Thank you that You've got favor in my future like 0:17:04.880 --> 0:17:07.560 I've never seen before. Thank you that you're gonna take 0:17:07.600 --> 0:17:10.880 our ministry where no ministry's ever gone, that we're gonna 0:17:10.920 --> 0:17:13.040 be able to touch people in a greater way all 0:17:13.160 --> 0:17:15.560 over the world. But Joe, how are you gonna do that? 0:17:15.840 --> 0:17:18.760 I'll tell you how. The gracious hand of God is 0:17:18.840 --> 0:17:21.640 upon me. I know as long as we stay under 0:17:21.680 --> 0:17:26.520 that cloud, God's blessings, his favor, his opportunities will continue 0:17:26.560 --> 0:17:30.120 to rain down. Well, how are you gonna accomplish your dreams? 0:17:30.240 --> 0:17:33.080 How are you going to see God's best? By opening 0:17:33.119 --> 0:17:36.840 your mouth wide, by staying under the cloud, and by 0:17:36.880 --> 0:17:40.840 the gracious hand of God. It's on every one of you. 0:17:41.560 --> 0:17:44.000 God would not have put the dream in your heart 0:17:44.400 --> 0:17:47.160 if he had not already equipped you with what you need. 0:17:47.680 --> 0:17:50.640 Start declaring this every day. Father, I want to thank 0:17:50.720 --> 0:17:54.639 you that, just like Nehemiah, your gracious hand is upon me. 0:17:55.240 --> 0:17:58.399 What's happening. Your cloud is filling up, and when you 0:17:58.520 --> 0:18:02.480 need it, it's gonna rain down creativity, rain down, good breaks, 0:18:02.840 --> 0:18:07.720 rain down supernatural opportunities. Know this, As you turn the 0:18:07.760 --> 0:18:11.320 praise up, God's gonna turn the rain up. As you 0:18:11.440 --> 0:18:15.240 open your mouth wider, God's gonna fill it with good things. 0:18:15.760 --> 0:18:20.400 He's gonna enlarge your territories. He's gonna expand your boundaries. 0:18:20.680 --> 0:18:24.240 He's gonna give you new ideas, bring you new opportunities. 0:18:24.560 --> 0:18:29.000 You're gonna accomplish goals and overcome obstacles that you once 0:18:29.080 --> 0:18:33.000 thought were impossible. How could this be? The gracious hand 0:18:33.040 --> 0:18:36.600 of God is upon you. Somebody asks you, how's it going? 0:18:37.040 --> 0:18:39.680 Just tell a man it has been raining and raining 0:18:39.800 --> 0:18:43.960 and raining. They say, what are you talking about? Hadn't 0:18:43.960 --> 0:18:47.320 been raining? It's sunny outside. Oh you talking about the weather. 0:18:47.560 --> 0:18:51.120 I'm talking about God's favor. It's been raining down blessing, 0:18:51.240 --> 0:18:57.879 raining down promotion, raining down supernatural opportunities. Some of you. 0:18:58.040 --> 0:19:01.600 If you just open your mouth, why you'd be amazed 0:19:01.680 --> 0:19:04.240 at what God would do. Well, I've gone as far 0:19:04.320 --> 0:19:06.720 in my careers I can go. No, your mouth is 0:19:06.760 --> 0:19:10.960 stuck halfway open. You can go so much further. God 0:19:11.000 --> 0:19:14.400 has new horizons for you to explore. There are gifts 0:19:14.440 --> 0:19:17.119 and talents in you that you've not yet tapped into. 0:19:17.680 --> 0:19:20.239 You would see a new level of God's goodness. If 0:19:20.280 --> 0:19:23.280 you just open your mouth a little wider. Well, I 0:19:23.359 --> 0:19:25.760 don't think I'll ever get married. I hadn't had a 0:19:25.840 --> 0:19:28.880 date in twelve years. I don't think I'll ever get 0:19:28.920 --> 0:19:31.600 out of it. I'll never overcome this problem. No change 0:19:31.640 --> 0:19:34.000 what you're saying. Father, I want to thank you that 0:19:34.080 --> 0:19:37.119 you're directing my steps. You said you'd give me the 0:19:37.160 --> 0:19:40.440 desires of my heart, that you hold victory in store 0:19:40.480 --> 0:19:42.719 for the upright. So I just want to thank you 0:19:42.920 --> 0:19:46.080 that every promise you put in me will come to pass. 0:19:46.800 --> 0:19:49.640 We have to understand when we're negative and we talk 0:19:49.680 --> 0:19:53.119 about the problems, and we go around complaining, we're sending 0:19:53.240 --> 0:19:56.639 up the wrong vapors. Our cloud is filling up with 0:19:56.800 --> 0:20:01.280 defeat lack, mediocrity, bad breaks. What we send up is 0:20:01.280 --> 0:20:04.680 gonna come right back down. I've had people tell me, Joel, 0:20:04.720 --> 0:20:07.920 I feel like I'm living under a dark cloud. Never 0:20:07.960 --> 0:20:10.640 get any good breaks. I don't have any energy anymore. 0:20:11.000 --> 0:20:14.160 People aren't treating me right, and I'm not making light 0:20:14.200 --> 0:20:16.359 of that. It all may be true, but as long 0:20:16.440 --> 0:20:18.479 as you keep sending that up, it's going to keep 0:20:18.480 --> 0:20:21.520 coming back down. If you could just switch out of 0:20:21.560 --> 0:20:25.760 that defeat mode and over into a praise mode and 0:20:25.840 --> 0:20:29.040 start thanking God that he's in control and that he's 0:20:29.160 --> 0:20:32.120 changing things in your favor, and that your best days 0:20:32.119 --> 0:20:35.680 are still ahead, then that dark cloud that was meant 0:20:35.720 --> 0:20:39.400 to discourage you will turn into a blessing cloud that'll 0:20:39.480 --> 0:20:42.800 rain down favor, the same cloud that's trying to keep 0:20:42.840 --> 0:20:46.800 you down. With the small adjustment in your attitude, it'll 0:20:46.840 --> 0:20:50.119 be the very cloud God uses to shower his blessings 0:20:50.160 --> 0:20:53.879 and favor when we feel this heaviness, especially when that 0:20:53.920 --> 0:20:56.639 discouragement is trying to follow us around. First thing we 0:20:56.720 --> 0:20:59.320 need to do is check on what we're sending out. 0:21:00.080 --> 0:21:02.320 It's like this lady I heard about. She went to 0:21:02.359 --> 0:21:04.959 the mall with her daughter. They bought a few things. 0:21:05.320 --> 0:21:07.600 On the way out, she said to her daughter, did 0:21:07.640 --> 0:21:10.679 you see the dirty look that sells lady gave me? 0:21:11.320 --> 0:21:13.760 The daughter said, Mom, she didn't give it to you. 0:21:13.760 --> 0:21:17.359 You had it when you came in. What we send 0:21:17.400 --> 0:21:20.760 out is always going to come back. The scripture says 0:21:20.760 --> 0:21:25.320 in Psalms that God inhabits the praises of his people. 0:21:26.000 --> 0:21:29.920 This means when God hears somebody giving him praise, when 0:21:29.960 --> 0:21:33.879 he hears somebody bragging on his greatness, he says to Gabriel, 0:21:34.200 --> 0:21:37.560 did you hear what I hear? There's somebody down there 0:21:37.560 --> 0:21:41.600 in Houston, somebody there at Lakewood talking about my goodness. 0:21:43.000 --> 0:21:46.720 I hear somebody thanking me that I'm bigger than their problems. 0:21:46.960 --> 0:21:50.680 I hear somebody singing I am a friend of God. Gabriel, 0:21:50.680 --> 0:21:53.000 you're gonna have to keep my place. I'll be right back, 0:21:53.240 --> 0:21:55.880 but I promise, when they give me praise, I will 0:21:55.920 --> 0:21:58.800 show up and do great things. You want to get 0:21:58.840 --> 0:22:02.840 God's attention. You want to see him take your places 0:22:02.840 --> 0:22:06.639 you've never dreamed of. This is the key. God is 0:22:06.800 --> 0:22:10.120 touched by our tears, but he's not moved by our tears. 0:22:10.800 --> 0:22:14.320 God is concerned when we're in tough times, but he's 0:22:14.400 --> 0:22:17.960 not moved when we go around or discouraged. What causes 0:22:18.040 --> 0:22:20.879 God to get up off the throne, so to speak, 0:22:20.960 --> 0:22:23.600 and come to where we are is when we start 0:22:23.640 --> 0:22:27.040 giving him praise. When we go around in faith expecting 0:22:27.080 --> 0:22:30.240 his favor. And know this, you don't have to be 0:22:30.320 --> 0:22:33.800 in church in order to give God praise. Your car 0:22:34.040 --> 0:22:36.960 can be a house of praise. Your shower can be 0:22:37.000 --> 0:22:41.320 a house of praise. That hospital room, that prison cell, 0:22:41.480 --> 0:22:45.359 those can be places of praise everywhere we go. We 0:22:45.480 --> 0:22:47.800 need to make sure we're sending up the right vapors, 0:22:48.000 --> 0:22:50.440 thanking God that he has us in the palm of 0:22:50.480 --> 0:22:53.679 his hand. It may be difficult, but thank him that 0:22:53.760 --> 0:22:56.800 he's armed you with strength for every battle. When things 0:22:56.840 --> 0:23:00.040 get kind of slow, don't have a poor mouth. I 0:23:00.040 --> 0:23:02.000 don't know how I'm gonna make it. My business is 0:23:02.040 --> 0:23:04.400 just so down, gas is so high. No, just turn 0:23:04.440 --> 0:23:06.840 it around. Father. I want to thank you that you're 0:23:06.840 --> 0:23:10.080 supplying all of my needs. I know you're Jehovah jiri 0:23:10.160 --> 0:23:13.000 h the Lord, my provider. You said you'd prosper me 0:23:13.080 --> 0:23:15.720 even in the desert. When you do that, you better 0:23:15.720 --> 0:23:18.760 get your umbrella out. I can hear the sound of 0:23:18.800 --> 0:23:23.200 an abundance of rain, not a trickle, not a little miss, 0:23:23.240 --> 0:23:26.040 not a sprinkle here and there. Let's send up the 0:23:26.119 --> 0:23:29.359 kind of praise that causes a downpour. You know what 0:23:29.400 --> 0:23:32.080 a downpour is. You've been out in the free way before. 0:23:32.480 --> 0:23:35.040 It rains so hard you practically have to pull over, 0:23:35.119 --> 0:23:38.119 you can't see anything. That's what God wants to do 0:23:38.280 --> 0:23:41.320 in every one of your lives. Pour out blessings that 0:23:41.359 --> 0:23:45.280 you cannot contain. He wants to rain down so much favor, 0:23:45.800 --> 0:23:49.240 so much opportunity, so many good breaks that you don't 0:23:49.240 --> 0:23:52.720 have just enough for yourself. But you're into overflow. You're 0:23:52.800 --> 0:23:56.240 running over with the goodness of God. That's what Victoria 0:23:56.280 --> 0:23:59.320 and I have seen. People told us we'd never get 0:23:59.320 --> 0:24:03.160 this facility, we'd never get the Compact Center, too many obstacles. 0:24:03.760 --> 0:24:07.240 We just kept thanking God for his goodness, thanking him 0:24:07.240 --> 0:24:10.159 that his gracious hand of favor was upon us. And 0:24:10.240 --> 0:24:13.480 sure enough it rained down favor right back. And here 0:24:13.520 --> 0:24:16.760 we are today seeing God's goodness. And I say this humbly, 0:24:16.840 --> 0:24:20.000 but Victoria and I we've been running over with God's blessings, 0:24:20.359 --> 0:24:23.680 running over with good family, running over with good friends, 0:24:23.680 --> 0:24:26.720 a good church, running over with joy. We've learned if 0:24:26.760 --> 0:24:29.480 we can just stay under that cloud, then that increase 0:24:29.520 --> 0:24:32.840 would just continue to rain back down. It all starts 0:24:33.080 --> 0:24:36.760 by living a life of excellence that honors Almighty God. 0:24:36.840 --> 0:24:39.800 But then you have to have a big vision. You've 0:24:39.800 --> 0:24:42.720 got to do like little Christopher and know that God 0:24:42.800 --> 0:24:46.199 is bigger than any of your obstacles. If God was 0:24:46.240 --> 0:24:48.760 big enough to put the dream in your heart, he 0:24:48.840 --> 0:24:51.360 is big enough to bring it to pass. You need 0:24:51.400 --> 0:24:54.960 to start thanking God every day. Father, I believe I'm 0:24:54.960 --> 0:24:58.719 going to see your favor in ways that I've never imagined. 0:24:59.080 --> 0:25:02.360 I know you can do it exceedingly, abundantly above all 0:25:02.400 --> 0:25:05.120 I've dreamed of. So Father, I'm thanking you for your 0:25:05.280 --> 0:25:09.680 unprecedented favor. When you do that, your cloud is filling up, 0:25:10.000 --> 0:25:14.080 not with ordinary blessings, not with get by provision. That 0:25:14.200 --> 0:25:17.919 cloud is filling up with running over favor, running over increase, 0:25:18.000 --> 0:25:21.560 running over blessings. And I know sometimes her mind will 0:25:21.600 --> 0:25:23.960 tell us, how's it ever gonna happen? How are you 0:25:24.040 --> 0:25:27.720 ever gonna accomplish your dreams? Let's learn to answer back, 0:25:27.880 --> 0:25:31.320 just like Leahemiah, the gracious hand of God is upon me. 0:25:31.840 --> 0:25:33.439 How are you going to get out of debt the 0:25:33.440 --> 0:25:36.320 gracious hand of God. How are you gonna get well? 0:25:36.680 --> 0:25:39.680 I saw the medical report. Now I've got another report. 0:25:39.920 --> 0:25:43.600 It says God's gracious hand is upon me. What I'm 0:25:43.600 --> 0:25:46.440 saying is it doesn't have to happen in our own strength, 0:25:46.800 --> 0:25:50.360 our own intellect, our own ability. It's gonna happen because 0:25:50.400 --> 0:25:54.320 God's breathing in our direction. When God brees your way, 0:25:54.760 --> 0:25:58.159 supernatural doors are going to open up. When God breathes 0:25:58.280 --> 0:26:02.399 his favor, You'll get from even though others had more seniority. 0:26:02.960 --> 0:26:05.680 You'll qualify for that new home even though you really 0:26:05.720 --> 0:26:08.960 shouldn't have been approved. What is that that's the favor 0:26:09.040 --> 0:26:12.800 of Almighty God raining down in your life. I don't 0:26:12.840 --> 0:26:16.520 know about you, but I'm expecting some downpours in the 0:26:16.600 --> 0:26:20.240 coming days. I'm expecting the heavens to open up for 0:26:20.359 --> 0:26:23.119 us to see favor like we've never seen it before. 0:26:23.840 --> 0:26:26.600 Let's do our part and keep our cloud filled up. 0:26:27.200 --> 0:26:31.959 Develop this lifestyle of thanksgiving. Go around all day meditating 0:26:32.040 --> 0:26:35.480 on God's goodness. When you're in a dry time, in 0:26:35.560 --> 0:26:39.040 a famine, kick your praise into a new gear. Form 0:26:39.160 --> 0:26:42.679 some new clouds. Learn to open your mouth wide, and 0:26:42.720 --> 0:26:45.399 God will feel it. Remember, what you send up is 0:26:45.440 --> 0:26:48.000 gonna come back down. When that cloud gets so full, 0:26:48.040 --> 0:26:51.239 it's gonna release back on you. Some of you. You 0:26:51.280 --> 0:26:54.600 are so close you don't realize it. But just a 0:26:54.640 --> 0:26:57.800 few more times of giving God praise, a few more 0:26:57.840 --> 0:27:01.560 times of thanking him, expecting his that's going to be 0:27:01.600 --> 0:27:04.520 the one that causes the cloud to burst open for 0:27:04.600 --> 0:27:07.920 God to pour out blessings that you cannot contain. Stay 0:27:07.960 --> 0:27:12.240 in faith. God is breathing in your direction right now. 0:27:12.280 --> 0:27:18.439 He's releasing favor, good ideas, creativity, making crooked places straight, 0:27:18.680 --> 0:27:21.480 fighting your battles for you. If you'll stay in this 0:27:21.560 --> 0:27:24.800 attitude of praise, then you'll live in the rain. God 0:27:24.880 --> 0:27:28.400 says you will always be in blossom. That means you'll 0:27:28.400 --> 0:27:32.200 overcome every obstacle. You'll defeat every enemy, and you'll see 0:27:32.240 --> 0:27:35.720 every dream, every desire, every promise God's put in you. 0:27:36.119 --> 0:27:39.199 It will come to pass. Amen. Do you receive it today? 0:27:40.240 --> 0:27:43.359 Many people believe that God can heal, But when nothing 0:27:43.440 --> 0:27:46.800 is improving, our prayers are not being answered, it's easy 0:27:46.840 --> 0:27:50.320 to think, will God heal me? The truth is God 0:27:50.400 --> 0:27:54.560 still loves to heal. I've witnessed God's healing power firsthand 0:27:54.640 --> 0:27:59.359 in my own family. When situations seemed impossible and medically speaking, 0:27:59.400 --> 0:28:02.320 there were no hops, God stepped in and made away. 0:28:02.920 --> 0:28:05.240 Now I love to send you our new devotional, God 0:28:05.320 --> 0:28:08.800 Still Loves to Heal. It's filled with scripture and encouragement 0:28:09.040 --> 0:28:11.920 designed to strengthen your faith and help you believe for 0:28:12.080 --> 0:28:15.160 healing even when you can't see it. God is still 0:28:15.200 --> 0:28:19.240 working as you stand firm and declare his promises. Healing 0:28:19.359 --> 0:28:21.639 is on the way. The same God who healed in 0:28:21.680 --> 0:28:23.960 the Bible is still healing today. 0:28:24.800 --> 0:28:28.080 Your generous support is so important to help us share 0:28:28.119 --> 0:28:30.760 the message of hope, and as our way of saying 0:28:30.800 --> 0:28:33.879 thank you for your gift of any amount, Pastor Joel 0:28:33.920 --> 0:28:36.280 would like to send you a copy of God Still 0:28:36.359 --> 0:28:40.760 Loves to Heal seventy days to receive, reflect and rest 0:28:40.920 --> 0:28:44.840 in the finished work of God. This new seasonal devotional 0:28:45.000 --> 0:28:47.720 will guide you through a weekly rhythm where you'll be 0:28:47.880 --> 0:28:51.760 encouraged by life changing insight that will strengthen and encourage 0:28:51.800 --> 0:28:55.960 you in your faith. Jesus cares about you physically, mentally, 0:28:56.200 --> 0:29:01.120 and emotionally. He forgives us, delivers us, he heals us, 0:29:01.320 --> 0:29:05.640 and makes us whole with this inspiring devotional resource. You'll 0:29:05.680 --> 0:29:09.200 go on a healing journey. You'll enter into God's rest 0:29:09.240 --> 0:29:14.840 and restoration, knowing his promises are true. Yesterday, today, and forever. 0:29:15.440 --> 0:29:19.200 Receive your copy of this powerful new book and experience 0:29:19.280 --> 0:29:23.120 God's goodness and healing power. Be sure to request your 0:29:23.160 --> 0:29:26.640 copy of God Still Loves to Heal available this month 0:29:26.800 --> 0:29:30.600 by simply visiting us at Joelostein dot com or call 0:29:30.880 --> 0:29:33.320 eight eight eight five six seven Joel. 0:29:34.120 --> 0:29:38.240 My mother was miraculously healed from terminal cancer. My sister 0:29:38.320 --> 0:29:41.880 Lisa was healed from a birth injury similar to serebral palsy. 0:29:42.320 --> 0:29:45.320 What God did for us, he can do for you. Nick, 0:29:45.400 --> 0:29:46.800 Tory and I are going to be praying for you 0:29:46.880 --> 0:29:50.440 this month, especially for healing for you and your family, 0:29:50.840 --> 0:29:54.640 not just physically, but mentally and emotionally, that you will 0:29:54.680 --> 0:30:00.160 be completely whole. We appreciate your prayer and support your generosity. 0:30:00.000 --> 0:30:03.440 He is impacting people around the world, and special thank 0:30:03.480 --> 0:30:05.760 you to our Champion of Hope partners for all you 0:30:05.840 --> 0:30:09.040 do to make the ministry possible. Until we meet again, 0:30:09.440 --> 0:30:11.400 May the Lord bless you and keep you. 0:30:12.120 --> 0:30:15.080 Be sure to request your copy of God Still Loves 0:30:15.120 --> 0:30:18.600 To Heal available this month by simply visiting us at 0:30:18.720 --> 0:30:22.640 Joelostein dot com or call eight eight eight five six 0:30:22.760 --> 0:30:26.560 seven Joel, and you can fill your year with strength, 0:30:26.800 --> 0:30:30.680 peace and encouragement with the Healing and Wholeness Collection. It 0:30:30.720 --> 0:30:34.120 features God's Word for every season, a guided four part 0:30:34.160 --> 0:30:37.200 journal series to help anchor your heart to his promises, 0:30:37.400 --> 0:30:40.160 plus God Still Loves to Heal, and the blessing of 0:30:40.200 --> 0:30:44.760 taking communion Together. They'll strengthen your faith, renew your hope, 0:30:44.920 --> 0:30:48.640 and remind you that Jesus still heals and restores. Today. 0:30:49.280 --> 0:30:53.080 You can request these inspiring resources by calling eight eight 0:30:53.120 --> 0:30:57.200 eight five six seven Joel or logging on to joelostein 0:30:57.320 --> 0:31:01.240 dot com today. Call or click a anytime twenty four 0:31:01.280 --> 0:31:13.200 hours a day. Request your copies today